Sanosuke: The Way of the Raised Fist
by caseyedith
Summary: Prelude to a sidekick. Sanosuke was born rebellious, and that was never going to change. [Author's interpretation of Sanosuke's past, written according to canon.]
1. Chapter 1

**Sanosuke**

_The Way of the Raised Fist, Part I_

* * *

The minute he could walk, Sanosuke was getting into trouble. His mother worried he'd hurt himself, while his father chuckled at his son's antics and reassured her that men from his line were tougher than boulders.

"Well that explains one thing, then," she would say, "You all certainly have boulders for heads too."

To that, her husband would laugh outright, which earned him a sideways smirk.

When their daughter came, Sanosuke was three, and already had a reliable reputation for mischief and thievery. His primary interest was in food, and he was more likely to be caught digging up the crop that his parents planted than helping them run their small farm and merchant business. But for a three year old, this wasn't much to worry about.

As he got older, however, his parents began to worry.

* * *

"SANOSUKE!"

Kamishimoemon called for his son furiously, after hearing about what he'd done to Misaki-san's property. According to her, their children had gotten into a fist fight which resulted in Sanosuke punching Echi repeatedly in the face and stomach until he threw up. Then he'd stolen a chicken and some rice balls, and run off to kami knows where.

"SANOSUKE YOU COWARD, COME FACE YOUR FATHER RIGHT NOW!"

He screamed in vain. Wherever Sanosuke was, he was either out of earshot, or being the disrespectful, mulish little punk he usually was. How did he and Naname give birth to such a son?

Kamishimoemon took a deep breath and exhaled, coming to a halt. He had to wonder what he was going to do with Sanosuke. The boy was uncontrollable and a real concern to his parents. As his father, he knew that Sanosuke was a good kid at heart. He was always kind to his little sister, even though she followed him nearly everywhere he went, and was probably an annoyance most of the time. And he loved his mother too, and would do anything she asked except behave when he left home to find another episode of trouble to get himself in. And regardless of the number of beatings he'd gotten from his old man, Sanosuke never stood down, never stopped fighting back, and never held a grudge. Kamishimoemon was unashamedly proud of those qualities in his young son. Which was why it was such a pity that they were often some of the same qualities which led to occurrences such as this one.

This wasn't the first time Sano had fought with one of the village kids, or stolen property from a neighbor. No matter how it was explained to him, he didn't seem to care that it was wrong to steal or fight so brutally. He was by far the toughest kid in the area, and seemed hell-bent on keeping up his reputation. As for the stealing, he was a brazen criminal and didn't care that he always left his tracks behind him.

Kamishimoemon sighed again and started off at a slower pace. He would find Sanosuke eventually, but even when he did, he still wasn't sure what he was going to say or do to him. Nothing he and Naname did seemed to matter.

Sanosuke was just a rowdy kid with nothing to lose. He'd already disgraced his family in every way imaginable, and prompted several of the villagers to suggest that his parents kick him out and send him away. But to both he and Naname, this wasn't an option, and Kamishimoemon met those suggestions with an iron fist. Sanosuke was their eldest son, and they would cut off their right hands before they abandoned him to the world like that. What good were honor and respect from their neighbors if they couldn't even be responsible parents? The other villagers' logic was an even greater abasement than Sanosuke's bad behavior.

* * *

A little while later, a half-mile or so down the main road, Kamishimoemon saw chicken tracks. A set of bare-footed prints were beside it, and these he followed until they veered into the grass. Looking ahead, he found his son lounging around beneath a tree, a blade of grass between his teeth and the stolen chicken sitting beside him like they were the best of friends. Sanosuke hadn't noticed his father's arrival yet.

Forging on ahead, Kamishimoemon waited for Sanosuke to react to his approach. But the boy didn't move, and once he was close enough he could see why.

He was fast asleep. The blade of grass was almost falling out of his mouth as he snored gently, and his clothes were dirty; he wondered what he'd done with his shoes. His lower lip was still bloody from being punched, and his wild brown hair was the same as always, but had a lone chicken feather tangled in it. Beside him, the white hen tilted its head to the side curiously to observe him. It was pitifully small and skinny for a farming chicken, but given the state of the times, he figured most of them were like that anyway.

With a swift, merciless kick to Sanosuke's groin, Kamishimoemon woke him up with his famous move: Father's Disgrace.

"Wake up!" he barked, as Sanosuke let out a shriek of pain and doubled over. His father gave him a moment of silence before reaching down to lift him to his feet by the scruff of his shirt. He looked into his tearful brown eyes and furious grimace with a look of equally justified anger.

"What was THAT for?!" Sanosuke snapped loudly. Kamishimoemon narrowed his eyes and smirked coldly.

"That was for fighting with Echi-kun and stealing Misaki-san's chicken and rice balls. You little punk! You're going to make your mother cry again, is that what you want!?"

"I was GETTING it for her! Okaa-san was talking about how she wanted a hen that could lay eggs!" His father nearly paused at hearing this, a little blind-sided by the fact that his boy's intentions had been somewhat thoughtful.

"You still do not _STEAL_ to get your mother a hen! I can't believe this!"

Kamishimoemon released Sanosuke's shirt, dropping him unceremoniously so that he stumbled as he tried not to fall.

"Let's go. You are returning that chicken to Misaki-san right now, and then apologizing to Echi-kun. And _then_ you are going to go home and beg for your mother's forgiveness, and do every single chore I can think to give you. You understand, boy?" To his disbelief, Sanosuke had the audacity to glare at him.

"I ain't apologizin' to that little punk," he said petulantly. He barely flinched when his father roughly grabbed the front of his shirt.

"_What?_" Kamishimoemon hissed.

"I said," Sanosuke repeated slowly, "that I ain't apologizin'." There was a tensely pregnant pause, in which father and son glared daggers at one another.

"That little shit deserves the beating he got. He picked on Uki-chan."

At that, Kamishimoemon sighed and looked heavenward. He then hung his head, exaggeratedly. Of course… Of course that was why he'd nearly killed the kid. And that made disciplining him that much more complicated.

"And what exactly did he do to her, Sanosuke?" he asked in a long-suffering tone.

"He pulled her hair and pushed her down. An' real rough too! She was crying. Nobody treats my little sister like that—nobody." He finished his explanation with a fierce expression of brotherly loyalty, which had Kamishimoemon simultaneously bursting with pride and praying for the patience not to scream in frustration. He knew that Sanosuke had to apologize to Echi. But after hearing what the little brat had done to his baby girl, he couldn't help but be glad Sanosuke had taught him a lesson. He was truly a good brother.

"…Alright, so you were doing a good thing by defending your sister. But did you have to beat on the kid so hard?"

"Yes," came the stubborn reply.

"No, you didn't. You know that you could teach him a lesson without nearly killing him. C'mon, Sanosuke…"

But Sanosuke was unrelenting. He just set his features into a scowl and remained silent.

Kamishimoemon gingerly released his shirt a second time, and rolled his tense shoulders. So it was clear that he wasn't going to apologize to Echi. Stubborn brat. But at least he'd return the chicken and apologize to Misaki-san. That would have to be enough.

* * *

Misaki-san wearily accepted Sanosuke's apology, and her chicken back. She was not moved however, by his explanation of why he took her fowl. She merely gave Kamishimoemon a pointed look, then shook her head and turned around without saying anything in reply. Kamishimoemon looked at Sanosuke, who seemed unfazed. His slender posture was slumped forward lazily and he had his dirty hands perched low on his hips. His brown eyes were almost closed, as if he wanted to get back to his interrupted nap. His father almost had to laugh out loud. His son was the embodiment of indifference.

But that almost made him want to shed a tear as well.

What could be done with such a son? Was there _any_ hope to bring him up well? With his whole being, Kamishimoemon hoped there was.

* * *

The unlikely outfit arrived in Nagano bearing government issued weapons and serious faces. They did not look like samurai, with perhaps the exception of their leader. He was tall, with black hair and serious eyes. He wore a red headband that had long ends trailing down the back of his neck. His uniform was clean and well cared for. He walked with dignity, but was clearly humble and respectful.

His infantrymen were more or less raucous farmers with something to prove. They were disorganized, but determined. They displayed obvious respect for their Captain, and obeyed his every order. Kamishimoemon could see men like himself in the visiting army and wondered about the homes, families, and livelihood they'd left behind. He couldn't envision leaving his wife and children and responsibilities, no matter what the cause.

As it turned out, the Sekiho-tai as they called themselves, were recruiting for war. Word spread quickly in the area, and Kamishimoemon witnessed several of his fellow villagers register with the army. He could understand. Times were hard for all of them, and the Revolution had been dragging on for some time. In one way or another, everyone was fighting for peace and the end to a bloody era. He himself would fight from home, by caring for his family and his village.

* * *

"Where's Sanosuke?" Kamishimoemon asked Naname. He'd just come home from a long day of working in the fields, and then selling some wares. The ominous absence of his oldest son didn't do anything to help him relax from his work.

Looking up from her task of fixing Uki's hair, Naname smiled an odd little smile.

"He's in a meeting with Sagara-san," she said, meeting her husband's surprised look with a steady gaze. "He's been especially well-behaved all day. He said that the Captain was having a meeting for all of the men in the village, and that he wanted to go listen. I think he's found an idol, anata."

Kamishimoemon huffed.

"He has me," he replied ungraciously. At that moment, Uki got up from her mother's lap and ran over to her papa. "Otou-san!" she said excitedly.

"At least you still like me, beautiful," Kamishimoemon replied, with a fatherly smile.

"Kami," Naname said quietly, also coming over to greet her husband with a kiss. "Maybe you should talk with Sagara-san as well."

"Huh? Why? I'm not joining his army." At that, his wife smiled happily, and he felt a warmth start to spread through his limbs.

"I know. I am very pleased to hear that. You're a good provider, Kami-anata." She massaged his arm with a soft palm. "But I'd like to know what sort of man this Sagara Sozo is, and what he's telling our son. Kami knows that Sanosuke's already in enough trouble. I just think it would be wise to keep an eye on this infatuation with the Captain."

"Ah yes, you're right, koishii." Kamishimoemon nodded sagely, contemplating his wife's wisdom. "Alright, I'll go check up on things. Uki, you be a good girl and help your Okaa-san, okay?"

"Okay, Tou-san!"

* * *

Kamishimoemon did not have to go far to find the Sekiho-tai, and Sanosuke. They were lodging at the local inn which was just a few minutes walk from his house.

When he entered the establishment, he was met by a sight of the tall Captain, surrounded by a few villagers and a few of his own men. The rest of the army, he supposed, were in their rooms or taking care of other business. With a brief scan of all the heads under five feet tall, Kamishimoemon located his boy's unruly brown spikes, just beneath Captain Sagara's elbow. Sanosuke was indeed looking up at him with an expression of boyish admiration. He was attentive, which was nothing short of miraculous. Kamishimoemon couldn't even get him to pay that much mind to him when he was whaling on him and screaming at the top of his lungs.

Who _was_ this Sagara, and what sort of ungodly powers did he possess?

He approached the small group to listen.

"…I urge all of you to consider joining our ranks. We are an army of farmers, joining forces with samurai and the new era to come. Our goal is to achieve equality for all classes, and rise above the times this war has brought upon us.

"I understand that you all have many responsibilities to think of. Family, livelihood, community… So if you cannot fight, the Sekiho-tai will fight for you. This is my promise."

Captain Sagara's concluding speech was met with a round of modest applause and approving murmurs. Kamishimoemon's eyes were drawn away from the young man's face to the eyes of his son, which were shining with something that looked like ambition.

Sanosuke, ambitious?

Holy hell…

"Sagara-san!"

Kamishimoemon raised his hand to attract the captain's attention. Sagara and Sanosuke both looked at him, the former curious and the latter surprised. Kamishimoemon didn't miss how Sanosuke suddenly made himself scarce as he approached Sagara to speak with him. What was that about?

"Kamishimoemon," he introduced himself, with a respectful nod. Captain Sagara bowed as well.

"I understand that you became the Captain of the Sekiho-tai by volunteering for the position," he began, without further preamble. Sagara nodded.

"Hai. The Sekiho-tai was started in my hometown. I am no good as a farmer, and so I decided to support my parents by joining the war to provide them with a new, better future. You are well-informed."

"Iie, there's been talk going around the village since you arrived. I just wanted to say that I am fully supportive of what you're doing for so many struggling people. It's a great cause."

"Thank you."

Sagara tipped his head in acknowledgement, and then a brief silence came over them. Kamishimoemon could already tell that he trusted this man, and that he was a decent person. He spoke well and exuded good intentions. Sanosuke's regard for him made sense: he was younger than Kamishimoemon, and not his father, and seemed to inspire confidence and trust in others. He was a true leader; that much was obvious.

"Well, I just came by to see what your deal was all about," Kamishimoemon finally said, breaking the silence. "I am glad I did; thank you for everything you're doing. I am one of those who will be protecting the home front, so I appreciate you fighting in my stead."

The captain merely smiled and tipped his head again. Kamishimoemon returned the gesture as he turned to leave. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a mess of brown hair, but pretended not to see him. Sanosuke would come home when he felt like it. If he wanted to stay and talk with the captian…his father was okay with that.

* * *

After telling Naname about his interaction with the captain, she felt it necessary to gift him and his men with home-cooked meals. Kamishimoemon kept out of her way, though he did agree that it was a nice idea. She and the other women had a big get together at the inn, which was well received by the soldiers. There were a few teary eyes, as many of them were probably remembering home and family comforts.

"That captain is really a good man," Naname commented, as they left the gathering for home that night. "I am glad that Sanosuke looks up to him."

"Hmph," Kamishimoemon replied, admittedly still a bit miffed that his son had taken so quickly to a stranger, no matter how much of a leader he was. But then he added, in a sincere voice, "Me too." Naname smiled and touched his arm in understanding.

"I wonder how he'll take their departure," she murmured. Her husband shrugged, slinging his hands into his pockets.

"I dunno. He'll probably act out. He's been a changed kid ever since they showed up. I don't think he's gotten into any fights at all. Ryu-san even told me that he thought he saw Sanosuke turn _down_ a fight. But I don't know if I believe that…"

Naname laughed in a sad sort of way, and said, "Well I know that he hasn't been stealing. I haven't had any complaints about him at all for the last couple of weeks. And he's been spending more time with his sister, and at home helping me more. He even weeded my garden. I can't quite understand it…" She creased her brow, thinking. Kamishimoemon shook his head and smiled wryly.

"It's a pity they have to leave. If they stayed, there might be a chance Sanosuke's days of misbehaving would end."

Naname glanced at him with a tired look.

"Maybe," she agreed.

* * *

More surprising reports about their son's behavior reached his parents in the next few days. It seemed that Sanosuke had visited each and every person he'd ever stolen from, and apologized for his wrong-doing on both knees. Then he'd gotten up and left without another word, leaving them all dumb-founded and speechless. It also was known that he'd turned down several fights, even when the other kids were taunting him. There were several more reports of this in addition to Ryu-san's, so Kamishimoemon couldn't ignore it. But the greatest surprise of all came the night before the Sekiho-tai left town.

Sanosuke had put his little sister to bed and helped his mother clean up the house that evening. Just as his parents were about to turn in for the night, he came up to Kamishimoemon.

"Otou-san?"

"Hm? What, Sanosuke?" Kamishimoemon turned towards him.

Instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arms around his father's waist and hugged him tightly. There was a surprised pause, but Kamishimoemon's hand came down to rest on Sanosuke's head and ruffled his hair.

"Is everything okay, son?" he asked, only slightly alarmed. This was weird behavior, and he briefly wondered if his boy was dying, but he dismissed that thought. Sanosuke was too tough for that, just like his old man. He enjoyed the moment instead.

"Yeah," Sanosuke said gruffly, when he pulled away. Then he went and attached himself to his mother, who bent down to receive her hug.

"I love you, Okaa-san," Sanosuke whispered, hugging his mother tightly around the shoulders. His father looked on, scratching his head in confusion but smiling happily seeing his wife and oldest child in such a happy embrace.

"I love you too, Sano-chan," Naname whispered back. She kissed his cheek when they pulled apart, and it was by sheer willpower that Sanosuke didn't lift his hand to wipe it off.

"Well, oyasumi," he said, walking over to where he shared a large futon with his sister. His parents gave one another a look, before retiring to their own futon in the small, private bedroom.

Kamishimoemon leaned over his wife to whisper in her ear once they were under the covers together.

"He's going to burn down the village tomorrow. Or do something stupid like that…"

Naname giggled, but then chastised him with a shocked tone. "Anata!"

"Just wait," her husband replied, giving her a brief kiss before closing his eyes to sleep.

* * *

Sanosuke was already out of the house when his parents woke up. This was odd in and of itself, since he was usually a deep and lazy sleeper, and never roused until daylight. Kamishimoemon had an uneasy feeling in his gut about Sanosuke's whereabouts and activities, but put it to the side, knowing his mischief would reach him eventually. He left the house duties to Naname and Uki, and went out to the fields to begin his work.

There was talk of the Sekiho-tai's departure in the fields. The men who remained behind in the village, Kamishimoemon included, were a bit over-worked trying to compensate for their neighbors who had left with them. It was enough to occupy his thoughts and keep them from wandering to what his son might be doing. He hadn't heard any outraged screams yet, so all seemed well, and the village wasn't up in flames. Perhaps he was just being a lazy ahou today, and not even helping his mother at home. He didn't really have any reason to feel anxious again until arriving home that night.

"Did you see or hear from Sanosuke today, Kamishimoemon?" Naname asked him fretfully the second he stepped inside.

"No, why?" he asked, starting to become alarmed.

"Because I haven't either," his wife said, tears starting to pool in her eyes. "No one has."

His father's blood ran cold.

"I'll go look for him," he said tersely. "Don't worry, Naname, I'm sure he just fell asleep under a tree somewhere. I'll find him."

He left his worried wife standing in their doorway, looking sad and forlorn. He hoped and prayed that he was right, and Sanosuke was safe.

_Damn you, boy. Why do you always make me feel like you're more trouble than you're worth?_

* * *

Kamishimoemon attempted to recruit some of the other men to help him search. To his utter disgust, he was met with much resistance in this effort.

"Eh, you know, Kamishi," one man said, who was a notorious drunk, and was tacking on a comment in addition to his refusal to help Kamishimoemon look for Sanosuke. In other words, he was wasting his time. "I'm missing a small bottle of sake. I think your kid nicked it."

Kamishimoemon couldn't believe his ears. Sanosuke stole a lot of things, but sake? He was only ten!

"Don't try to blame that on him," he said to Nikimo coldly, "Sanosuke only steals things that he can eat. He didn't take your sake."

"Well that's so much better then," Nikimo replied sarcastically.

"LISTEN, Nikimo, my boy is missing and his mother is worried. I don't have time for you, baka, so if you're not going to help, just _shut up_." With a sharp turn, Kamishimoemon walked away, now burning with fury. The audacity of the bastard, to try and frame a ten year old for stealing something he'd probably drunk without even realizing it, and while his father was frantically trying to search for him. How low Sanosuke's reputation with the villagers had become…

Even with the help of a handful of neighbors who had agreed to search with him, probably because they also had children and could empathize with his pain, Kamishimoemon returned home alone. Something one of the other men had said was laying heavily on his mind, and he dreaded how Naname and Uki would take it. He was not cheered to find them at home with tearful faces either, despite dinner being set out for four.

"You didn't find him?" Naname asked, her voice weak with dismay. Uki began to cry for her oni-san. Kamishimoemon merely shook his head, his face drawn.

"Naname, Tochirou-san thinks he might have gone with the Sekiho-tai." Naname's expression changed from pure distress to distressed confusion.

"But he's only a boy! They wouldn't allow him to join."

"No, but…he can be clever when he wants to be. They probably don't realize he's following them. Sanosuke doesn't only do what he's allowed to do."

He came to sit down with his remaining family members. Uki was crying pitifully, but she came to sit in his lap when he reached for her. Her tears soon soaked through his shirt.

"Tochirou-san is probably right. Sanosuke should have come home by now. This is why he's been so well-behaved for these last few weeks, and especially few days. And last night…he was saying good-bye." Kamishimoemon's eyes also began to fill with tears as realization came to him. Naname's lips trembled, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She sobbed quietly in helplessness, and Kamishimoemon took her hand to bring whatever comfort he could. For some time, the small family sat in mournful silence.

"What are we going to do?" Naname finally asked, raising her head from her husband's shoulder. Uki's crying hadn't abated at all, so she took the girl in her arms and tried to soothe her. Kamishimoemon covered his eyes with his hand.

"I could try to track them down and bring him back," he said wearily, "but I'm afraid it wouldn't work. He's too headstrong. And I don't know which direction they've gone in, and finding them could take weeks. Even if I bring him back, there's no telling that he wouldn't run off again, or act out even more extremely."

"More extreme than running away?" Naname asked incredulously. Her husband nodded.

"He put so much into this, Naname," he said somberly. "He prepared for it. Sanosuke has never taken anything so seriously before. If I force him to come home…it might send him over the edge." Naname contemplated his words in silence.

"…He always did seem to be struggling with something," she said quietly, at length. "I could never figure out what. But ever since he was a baby, I always thought he was battling with himself. I thought I was just being nonsensical and ignored it. But now…I don't know. Now I think I was right. He might be only a child, but there was more to him than his bad behavior let on."

Kamishimoemon nodded in agreement.

"You're right," he said. "And I think he's found a way to deal with it now. I wish he could have just worked it out here at home… But I'm afraid it…has to be this way…"

He couldn't believe he was saying the words, and hated the way they sounded. But when Naname nodded after a moment, he knew he had spoken the hard truth. Sanosuke was gone, and they might never see him again. Their only son had run away to join the army. At ten years old. Well if that didn't beat all, Kamishimoemon was a complete stranger to the unexpected.

* * *

That night was a sleepless one. Though he did not speak of it to Naname or Uki, Kamishimoemon warred with himself about whether or not to go after Sanosuke. He had no way of knowing whether or not the Sekiho-tai would accept him once they knew of his presence. What if they didn't? Would he find his way home?

And what if they did? Would Sanosuke live to see another year?

Kamishimoemon knew his son was tough, and took after his side of the family. They were all hard to kill, and even harder to break. But the fact remained that Sanosuke was only ten, and war was no place for ten-year-olds.

But no matter how he tortured himself, Kamishimoemon knew that there was no bringing Sanosuke back. The Sekiho-tai, and Captain Sagara, were already the two best influences that had ever reached him. And as Naname had said when he was younger, men from his line had boulders for heads. They would do what they had to, without listening to anyone else. Sanosuke was his son, through and through, and that alone made him realize that it had always been a losing battle, trying to make his son do what he was told.

Maybe if he let the kid fight his own battles, he'd find his way.

His father could only hope.

* * *

A/N: There will be at least one more chapter, maybe 2 for this story! For the record, it was _so much fun_ writing about Sanosuke's life as a kid. I adore him. I always have. And since I couldn't find anywhere to put these few details, I'm going to mention a few things here:

1. Kamishimoemon has a ridiculously long name. Dear God.

2. Kamishimoemon is 32 in this time period, Naname is 29, and Uki is 7.

3. I imagine that Naname is a beautiful woman, around 5'4" with long brunette hair that she ties in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck and wears long side bangs. She's somewhere between slim and curvy and wears traditional clothing for a farmer's wife. Her eyes are brown like her son's. She would have fair skin, but since she spends a lot of time out-doors, she's got a golden tan. She's a very gentle, loving woman; soft-spoken usually, but can turn tough when she needs to. I imagine she's the kind of person who kills you with kindness though. Kamishimoemon is a little rough around the edges, but she's a perfect lady, and this is what attracts them to each other.

4. Kamishimoemon looks pretty much the same as in the manga, but younger. His hair is brown like Sano's, and his face isn't as lined. Father and son share an extraordinary resemblance. He's just as bull-headed as his wife describes him to be, but he uses that to his advantage. He's an extremely hard worker, and a great husband and provider.

5. I imagine that Ota and Uki more resemble their mother.

6. Now I want to write about Kamishimoemon and Naname. They sound like an adorable couple, if my imagination is to be believed.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! _caseyedith


	2. Chapter 2

**Sanosuke**

_The Way of the Raised Fist, Part II_

* * *

Trailing behind the Sekiho-tai was mind-numbingly boring. But Sanosuke couldn't bring himself to tell the Captain he'd run away from home just yet. What if Captain Sagara told him to go home? What if he was angry? He couldn't stand the thought of disappointing him.

Sanosuke couldn't remember a time in all his young life that he'd been worried about what an adult thought. Occasionally, he'd feel a twinge of shame if he happened to catch his mother crying over something bad he'd done, or a flicker of remorse for those times when words failed his old man. But he forgot about it shortly thereafter. He loved his parents, but they'd never held much sway over him. No one ever had.

Somehow, the Captain was different from them though. Sanosuke couldn't quite figure it out. But he had decided that, as soon as he heard about what the visiting army was doing, he would follow the man anywhere.

Like the Captain, he was no good as a farmhand either. He hated hard work, and couldn't understand how Tou-san slaved away in the fields all day, day after day without giving up. He'd always wanted to be like that, but just…couldn't.

And then there was the small merchant business his parents ran. Kaa-san was good at selling things with a pretty smile on her face, but not him. He hated it. If someone wanted to buy something, then fine, they would. But he wasn't about to kiss up to them just to get them to argue with him about prices and quality. In his mind, once the product was on the lot, there was nothing he could do to make it better, and the price was always fair because his parents were fair people. That was that, and everyone knew it, so it just pissed him off when someone tried arguing with him. He didn't have any patience for people who tried to sell him stuff either, for the record.

For some reason, no matter what he tried, he could never bring himself to be a better son. There was simply no drive to become a farmer or a merchant, and so he'd just resigned to fighting out his aggressions and stealing food to ease the cost of groceries on his parents. That, and he also happened to enjoy fighting and free meals.

So the army would be a perfect place for him! He was a good fighter, the best in his village, and he could stand up to anybody in a fist fight, even his father (who was also the best as far as fist fights went). And even if he wouldn't be allowed to fight, he could still help the Captain. He'd run errands, or clean weaponry, or even wash clothes. Whatever he could to be useful. He'd had enough of being a burden and a source of disappointment. Since he couldn't be useful at home, he hoped that he could be useful to the Sekiho-tai.

* * *

His stolen provisions were running low after two weeks. He'd been able to make them last so long because he'd eaten sparingly, consuming only one small meal a day. The army moved pretty fast, and he had to be quick to keep up, and that made him anxious so he wasn't all that hungry anyway.

But now, with the last of his food being eaten, he suddenly discovered that he was _starving_. If they didn't pass through another village soon, he'd be done for and would have to tell the Captain that he was there.

The prospect greatly concerned him.

Luckily, they did happen to pass through a village later that day, and the inevitable was delayed, for just a little while. He managed to nick a few apples and some dried fish, before making a run for it to go around the outskirts of the small town and keep an eye on the Sekiho-tai's movements. He wasn't sure yet if they were planning to stay here for a few days like they had in Nagano, or whether they were going to recruit quickly and move on. They'd hung around in the last town, so there might be a chance that they were going to make this a quick visit.

Staking out a place with good visibility, but far enough away to avoid notice, Sanosuke camped out and ate an apple. It really wasn't much a camp, considering that he didn't have any shelter, or even a blanket. He hadn't planned on waiting this long to talk to Captain Sagara.

But nothing less than pure cowardice was keeping him doing so. He would have been more disgusted with himself, but he was still too chicken.

"Hey."

Turning sharply around, Sanosuke was met by the serious eyes of a strange kid. He was around his height, with straight black hair that fell to his shoulders, and wore a simple outfit like his own. Sanosuke looked at him with his mouth open, wondering what he should do.

"You stole those from my Tou-san," the kid said, pointing at the leftover apples. "And you stole that from Tomoyo-san." He pointed to the fish. But then he let his hand fall, and observed Sanosuke without further comment. He swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, and?" he asked brusquely, not sure what the kid wanted.

"Can I have some?"

"No." Sanosuke shook his head and looked away. "I need them so that I can live until I talk to Captain Sagara and join the Sekiho-tai."

"The Sekiho-tai? You mean those farmers parading around as soldiers?" The kid sat down beside Sanosuke, and hugged his knees closely to his chest. Now that he was closer, Sano could see that he was actually a couple inches shorter than he, and had a large, hand-shaped dirt mark on his right shoulder. He wondered what that was about.

"Yeah. They're all farmers, like my folks. And the Captain, he's amazing. He's not a good farmer, just like me, but he's a great captain. I decided that I was going to join him, and become just like him."

"But you're a kid. What can you do?" The kid didn't seem to doubting him, in fact he was honestly interested. But Sanosuke wasn't angry anyway; he wondered the same thing himself.

"I dunno," he said with a shrug, "but if they let me in, it's gotta be better than thuggin' and stealin' like I did back home."

"Well, have you stopped thuggin'?"

Sanosuke shot him a little smirk.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Then you've made some progress. Not much on the stealin' though."

He was starting to like this kid. Suddenly feeling generous, Sanosuke decided to offer him an apple.

"Hey, I changed my mind. D'you want this?" He extended his hand with the fruit, and saw the hungry look enter the kid's black eyes. The other boy nodded, and took it, then proceeded to wolf it down hungrily. Sanosuke watched him for a second, a bit perplexed.

"You're, uh, really hungry, huh?"

The kid nodded, in lieu of answering vocally. Sanosuke felt good being able to help him out by giving him the apple. Even he hadn't been as hungry as this kid seemed these past two weeks.

"What's your name? I'm Sanosuke."

The boy swallowed, and was about to answer, but was distracted by a loud, furious voice.

"KATSUUUU!"

"Uh-oh," he said, his face draining of color.

"What, who's that?" Sano asked worriedly. The kid's demeanor seemed to shrink inside himself.

"My tou-san," he said, the half-eaten apple forgotten in his limp hand. "He's looking for me."

"So you're Katsu, huh?"

The kid nodded.

"Yeah."

"What happens when he finds you?" Sanosuke was almost sorry he asked. Katsu hid his face behind his long dark hair and replied in a weak, teary voice.

"He'll beat me." Sanosuke felt a wave of pity wash over him for Katsu.

"Well…d'you want some help?"

Katsu raised his head curiously. "Help?" he repeated, nonplussed. Sanosuke shrugged.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure I can show him a thing or two." He waited for Katsu to answer him, as his enraged father let out another terrible scream.

"My tou-san's pretty big, Sanosuke, I dunno if that's such a good idea."

"Trust me, my old man's a lot tougher than him. Nobody beats up my tou-san. And he's beat me plenty of times, but I've never backed down. I can help you, if you want."

Sanosuke was radiating so much boyish confidence, that Katsu couldn't help feeling heartened. He hadn't had a true friend ever, so this was definitely new to him, and he couldn't help but feel relieved to have some back-up against the terrible rage of his father.

"Well, okay, but we should be smart about it."

"Sure, you're the brains, Katsu-kun," Sanosuke agreed easily, more than willing to let his new buddy decide the tactics. "I'll be the main muscle." Katsu smiled.

"Well, here's the plan then. I'll go meet him alone, and you sneak up behind. When he tries to punch me, I'll duck, and then you can whale on him while he's distracted. Sound like a deal?"

"You got it. I like it. This'll be the first time I've ever snuck up on someone to fight them. It's not my usual style, but in this case, I'll make an exception. You ready?"

Katsu nodded once. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

The boys parted in silence as they reached the edge of the village. Sanosuke slunk down a deserted alley between two houses, where he would still be in earshot of Katsu and Katsu's father's movements. He waited for the signal.

"Oh, so now you show up," Katsu's father said grumpily, but a little big smug. "Took you long enough, you lazy shit. Where've you been, boy? Your mother's not too happy with you, y'know."

"I know," Katsu said in dull voice, like he'd heard this story a hundred times. "Okaa-san already told me that I'm a lazy good-for-nothing, and then she tried to brand me with her hot poker. I ran away." His father laughed.

"Hah! Well, good for her. Now, c'mon, boy, it's time to git home. But first…"

Sanosuke peeked around the corner of the building, and saw Katsu's old man make a dramatically big swing. He was off and running for the large man's brawny neck, even while thinking about how the bastard had really tried to hurt his son. His own father had beaten him pretty bad in the past, but just enough to hurt, never enough to truly injure. Now he understood where the large, dirty handprint had come from.

"RAHHHH!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, and he latched his long arms around the man's throat. He pulled them tight, and bashed his forehead into the back of the other man's head, which blacked out his vision momentarily. But that was nothing, as it passed quickly.

"Katsu! Fight back, man, punch him!"

Katsu stood from his low crouch and kicked his father straight in the groin, making the big man fall to his knees with Sanosuke still on his back. Then, to Sanosuke's immense approval, he began to punch him in the face for all he was worth. Sanosuke made sure to keep his choke-hold really tight, cutting off the air to the guy's lungs. His face was growing progressively redder, and he was foaming at the mouth from his exertions.

But eventually, he managed to throw Sanosuke off, and with a yell of raging temper, he threw a vicious punch that knocked his son to the ground, and then turned to face Sanosuke, who was hastily getting to his feet. He could tell the guy was way past furious, and out for blood. With a devilish grin, he thought about how that suited him just fine. He raised his right fist with a mighty war cry, and prepared for the attack.

"Stop!"

At the authoritative command, the man and two boys all swiveled their heads to the source. Their eyes all widened when they recognized the Captain of the Sekiho-tai as the speaker.

"Captain!" Sanosuke exclaimed. His mouth dropped open slightly with surprise. Captain Sagara glanced at him briefly, and he could tell that he'd recognized him, but he didn't say anything. He then looked at Katsu's father, and his mouth hardened into a grim line.

"What's the problem here, Tsukioka-san?" the Captain asked calmly. Tsukioka's mouth gaped open stupidly, and he seemed incapable of speech. So Sanosuke answered for him.

"This dick was pummeling his own son," he said, and then spat rudely at his feet. "I came to help my friend, Captain. There's no problem, other than this guy," he indicated Katsu's father with his thumb, "being a horrible parent." A disapproving huff followed his statement. Katsu and his father both looked at him dumbstruck, and the captain's lip twitched, even though his eyes did not look the least bit amused.

"You, little, punk…" Tsukioka started say, and he advanced slowly towards Sanosuke. Katsu struggled to his feet and lunged for his father's arm, latching on and crying out, "No!"

Tsukioka turned around and shoved him off, but before he could try for his original intentions again, Captain Sagara planted himself between the man and Sanosuke.

"That's enough," he said in a voice that brooked no argument. "Sanosuke, come with me. Katsuhiro." He looked at the other boy, once again on the ground. He said nothing else, but Katsuhiro seemed to understand his meaning. Getting to his feet again, he came forward to stand by the captain.

"Hey, you can't just take my kid!" Tsukioka yelled angrily. Captain Sagara surveyed him coolly.

"I didn't," he replied, "he chose to come. Go home, Tsukioka-san. Your abuse is over."

"Hehe, yeah, dick-face," Sanosuke muttered gleefully. His chuckling was met with grim silence from the captain and Katsu, which he ignored. But he soon fell silent. The captain led him and Katsu to the inn where he and the other soldiers were lodging for the night, before saying anything else.

"Boys," he addressed them, once they were standing in the entrance-way. "You both owe me explanations. You first, Sanosuke."

Sanosuke blanched, feeling much less confident now beneath the captain's emotionless stare. But he cleared his throat and realized that now was the time to stop stalling and be a man.

"Uh, well, y'see, Captain Sagara, I…uh…I ran away from home."

"From Nagano?" the captain questioned.

"…Yeah. I decided that I wanted to join the Sekiho-tai." When his statement was met with a blank stare, he sighed and continued.

"I know I'm just a kid an' everything, but I'll do anything I can to help. You guys, you're incredible, and you're protecting people like my parents. I'm no good as a farmer or a merchant, and I was nothing but a nuisance to my tou-san and kaa-san. But I want to help protect them, and make their lives better. Everyone's struggling right now. I'm tired of being helpless." Saying all he could say, he fell silent, and waited for the captain's reply.

"Big words for a boy," was all he said, but something in his eye made Sanosuke feel slightly better. The captain then looked at Katsu.

"And you?" he questioned. Katsu had difficulty meeting his eyes.

"How do you know my name?" he asked in a low voice. The captain sighed.

"I heard your father calling for you. He went all around the village calling you. And I already knew Sanosuke, so I deduced that 'Katsuhiro' must be you." This piece of information made Sanosuke beam with pride, both because the captain admitted to knowing him, and because he admired his attention to detail. He was such a _cool_ captain…

"Oh," Katsu said, closing his eyes in shame. He looked like he might start to cry. Seeing this, Sanosuke grew very alarmed, and nudged him with his elbow.

"Hey, Katsu, you alright?"

His friend shook his head.

"No. I'm weak." He sniffed, then lifted his head and met the captain's eyes.

"I want to join the Sekiho-tai too!" he said with fervor. "I want to get stronger, and protect people. Unlike my otou-san and okaa-san…"

Sanosuke smiled happily, and nudged him again in approval. Katsu glanced at him and grinned weakly in return. Then they turned hopeful eyes to the captain.

Faced with two pairs of hopeful eyes, and boyish faces, Captain Sagara felt mounting exasperation. How could he say no? Sanosuke was miles from home, somehow having managed to follow them without getting caught or killed, and Katsuhiro was as good as dead if he stayed with his abusive parents. The locals had been muttering about how mean his parents were to him, after his father had been heard calling for him that evening. And then there was the fact that these two clearly looked up to him for some reason. He already felt like he was some older-brother figure to them, even though he'd only met Katsuhiro a few minutes ago. But his expression mirrored Sanosuke's, who'd openly idolized him since coming to his meetings two weeks ago in Nagano.

He didn't even try to fathom how this had all happened…

"War is no place for boys," he began wearily, "and that is exactly where we're headed." He paused, but neither Sanosuke nor Katsuhiro seemed put out just yet.

"But, miles from home and at the mercy of abusive parents is no place for boys either. I'll agree to let you join our ranks, but only with the understanding that you won't see any real fighting. You two are always to stay behind at the camp, and take care of things from there. Understand?"

"YEAH!" Suddenly enlivened with excitement, Sano and Katsu cheered and looked at each other with expressions of glee. "Anything you say, Captain Sagara!" they agreed.

"But, maybe once we're older, we'll be able to fight?" Sanosuke hedged, diverging a little from his energetic mood to a hopeful one. The captain shook his head with a smile.

"Hopefully there won't be a war on anymore once you're older," he said. Sanosuke laughed giddily in response.

"Now, it's time for bed. You two can stay in my room tonight. I'll ask the inn-keeper to bring two extra cots."

"ALRIGHT!"

Just then, two loud noises erupted from the boys' stomachs, and they clutched their middles in embarrassment. Captain Sagara looked at their nervously smiling faces, and sighed.

"I guess that means you boys are hungry…" When their only response was nervous laughter, he rolled his eyes skyward and prayed to the gods for aid. It was certainly going to be interesting having these two around. But he couldn't say that he was truly annoyed.

"C'mon. The inn-keeper will get you both some food too."

"_YESSS!_"

* * *

They left the next morning.

With their stomachs fuller than they'd been for some time, and feeling extremely satisfied with themselves, Sanosuke and Katsu walked on either side of the captain and carried some of the provisions as they'd been instructed. They were headed to their final stop before finishing their recruitment campaign. And then, they'd join the rest of the revolutionaries.

Those turned out to be adventurous days.

Sanosuke and Katsu became the best of friends, and a dynamic, if unpredictable team. Sanosuke was the stronger of the two, but was more than willing to teach his friend how to fight. They sparred frequently, which usually ended with Katsu lying on his back panting, and Sanosuke's foot resting lightly on his stomach. But then they'd both laugh, and Sano would help him up.

It other matters however, Katsu had the upper hand.

He was of a steadier temperament, and had the patience to wait for the opportune moment during a fight. This ability had bested Sanosuke a few times, since the latter was too brash and pugilistic to stand waiting very long. Captain Sagara liked to joke that while Sanosuke had steadier fists, Katsu had a steadier mind, and that was why they made such a great team. The boys agreed laughingly with this, and then would often tackle the captain playfully, acting like the adopted younger siblings they were turning out to be.

* * *

A/N: Epilogue will follow shortly! Thanks for reading! _ce


	3. Chapter 3

Epilogue

Prelude to Zanza

* * *

When he was young, Sanosuke would often hear his father proudly tell the story of how his first son was born. It was one of the only stories he had to tell of his son that brought him true joy. The rest of them evoked an array of other emotions, including distraught, dispirited, amused, and angry.

But seeing how the good moments meant so much more to Kamishimoemon than the bad, he told his favorite story often, and to anyone who cared to listen.

He had been holding Naname's hand as she gave birth, and trying to soothe her as best he could, all the while feeling sick to his stomach about the whole process. It was putting her in so much pain, and he couldn't understand why any sane woman would agree to ever have children. Then again, he would often later add that Naname wasn't at all sane, since she had agreed to marry him.

"I see something; the baby's on its way out!" the midwife had exclaimed excitedly, making his stomach churn even more. Her next statement was the main reason why this story was his favorite.

"What do you see? Is it the head?" he asked in a rushed tone.

The midwife paused. After a moment she said: "Yes! But also...I see a tiny fist."

"Eh?"

Kamishimoemon did not know what to say to that. He'd never heard of a child coming into the world fist-first.

But it was true. Their healthy baby boy was born with one tiny fist raised, poised next to his head as if he were about to enter a boxing match. He looked to Kamishimoemon like a smushed, red, screaming fighter. Next to his wife, he had never seen anything more beautiful.

* * *

"Hey! You can't just eat and leave, who do you think you are?"

The tall, brooding youth turned back with a foul temper to confront the angry innkeeper. The smaller man seemed a little wary, but didn't back off much.

Well, that was an encouraging sign…

"Look," he said, "I'm just a guy who likes a free meal now and then. Sorry for hittin' ya up, but I'm a growing boy." He turned to walk away again.

"Thief! Miscreant! _Bastard!_" The innkeeper spat upon the ground along with his insults, and then wielded the large kitchen knife in his right hand and started to advance toward his target again. The kid had eaten a hefty amount of food, flirted with his waitresses and distracted them, and then had the audacity to start a brawl in his respectable establishment, slipping out in the process to avoid paying his bill. Well he wasn't going to get away with it; he'd pay one way or another.

"You really don't want to do this," the youth said, in a much lower and more dangerous tone than he'd used before. The innkeeper paused, wondering what he was talking about. His back was turned, it wasn't like he could see him… So he kept walking, figuring he'd catch him off guard.

But that was a big mistake.

His knife fell to the ground as he choked against the hand gripping his throat too tightly.

"I _said_ that you really didn't want to do that," the youth drawled, referring to his attempt at stabbing him. Now, he could see why.

His hands came up to curl around the strong fingers, trying in vain to pry them off.

"I'm going to let you go now," the youth said, "and since you asked so nice and sweet, I'll tell you my name. They call me Zanza. You'll want to remember that in the future, and avoid me if you don't want trouble. Now get lost, old man." He threw him off to the side, causing him to land on his back in a heap.

He sat up to watch the stranger walk away, and as his slouching figure passed beneath a street light, he saw something that he'd never forget.

'Aku' glared at him in bold strokes on the back of Zanza's white jacket.

He shivered. That wasn't a good sign.

* * *

Sanosuke slunk into his tiny bedroom in the middle of the night, kicking off his shoes as he went. He shrugged out of his jacket and stripped off his arm wrappings before rolling onto his shabby futon and glaring up at the ceiling. What a day.

The fights were getting worse and worse. This new Meiji era was shit. There were hardly any good fighters left! His mood was never great these days, but it was getting harder and harder not to scare innocent onlookers just by accidentally glaring in their direction. If he had a good fight now and then, he'd be able to cheer up a little…

Or that's what he told himself.

The truth was, however infrequently he admitted it, that ever since the Sekiho-tai had been disbanded, he'd been a raised fist. So he'd been raining it down on every target he could find, the stronger and more dangerous the better. But virtually anyone would do.

He didn't expect it to help. But it was all he had now.

The boy Sanosuke was gone and dead, as far as he was concerned. He'd run away from home to protect his family and find a path that worked for him, but that had failed dismally. He could never go back now that he was damaged, condemned goods of the "false revolutionary army". Such a great disgrace could never bring his family any good fortune. Nor did he think that he could realistically live the life of a farmer or merchant. That had been out from the very beginning.

In the place of his young self, Zanza was now his identity. That name and the ever-present 'aku' he wore struck out a lasting impression. This was the only way he knew to make sure that the past and people which meant so much to him were never forgotten.

The way of the raised fist was to never back down.

He never would.

* * *

A/N: That's a wrap! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! I've included some of my original story notes which helped me formulate how I wanted to write Sanosuke's past, in case you're interested :).

Story Notes:

End story; Sanosuke has found his place in life, for however short a time. He is a soldier, a protector of the people—people like his parents. Though he cannot find satisfaction in their work, he can in fighting for them. What he loves to do in life: fight and eat. Once the Sekiho is disbanded, the anger returns from the inability to do anything. He has raised his fist, but there is no where to strike (Sanosuke is a raised fist, always). He doesn't find his way again until meeting Kenshin, who reminds him to complete the revolution. He does so by backing Kenshin up, like he once backed up Sagara Sozo.

He chooses to follow people like Sozo and Kenshin because he knows that he enjoys fighting too much in and of itself to be responsible enough to regulate it properly. He is a good man, but doesn't always have noble intentions like Kenshin does, and he is aware of this fault. It's why he was such a badly behaved kid: very little interest in self-control. Not inability, just no interest. So he finds people to guide him, which helps a lot. He also happens to respect them, and he is loyal to his very core, so this completes his character as well.


End file.
